Method and apparatus for drawing out glass filaments



METHOD-AND APPARATUS FOR DRAWING OUT GLASS FILAMENLTS Filed Feb. 14, 1968 W. H. W. SCHULLER L Jan. 27, 1970 2 Sheets-Sheet i PRIOR ART Jan427, 1970 f W.H.W.SCHULLER ETAL 3,492,103 I METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DRAWING OUT GLASS FILAMENTS Filed Feb. 14, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent Int. (:1. C031, 37/02 U.S. Cl. 65-2 16 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Newly formed glass filaments move downward in a vertical plane spaced sucha horizontal distance from a first drawing drum that the same cannot catch the filaments. The dropshaped lower ends of the filaments are fed to a lower preliminary second drawing drum which holds the filaments spaced a smaller distance from the first drawing drum while drawing out the filaments. Air currents produced by the first drawing drum or other movable means, move the filaments into engagement with the first drawing drum so that the dropshaped lower ends of the filaments are severed in a region spaced from the first drawing drum, whereby the dropshaped ends of the filaments cannot come into contact with the first drawing drum while the filaments partly drawn out by said second drawing drum are further drawn out by said first drawing drum.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the manufacture of filaments consisting of glass or a like mineral material, marbles or rods are melted and the liquid glass is discharged through orifices of a bushing or spinneret in the form of filaments which have dropshaped lower ends and move downward in a substantially vertical plane until engaged and drawn out by a drawing drum rotating at high speed. The filaments are removed from the drawing drum before forming a loop about the same, and then further processes to form glass fiber mats, or a strand, or a twisted yarn.

Filaments with dropshaped ends are newly formed at the start of a drawing operation, and whenever a filament breaks. It is important that the dropshaped ends are not carried by the drawing drum into the final product since the dropshaped ends have diameters between ten times and twenty times the desired diameter of the filament. Since the dropshaped ends are thick and stiff they seriously impair the flexibility of the final product such as a mat, glass fiber band or glass yarn fabrics. It is even possible that the dropshaped ends out other filaments or fibers of the final product when the same is rolled, compressed or bent. When the dropshaped endsreach the main drawing drum, they may rebound and tear the adjacent filaments which causes an interruption of the filament production.

In order to sever the dropshaped ends from newly formed filaments before the same are drawn out to the desired small thickness, preliminary drawing drums are used in accordance with the prior art for the purpose of drawing the newly formed filaments to a certain thickness at which it breaks so that the dropshaped ends are severed and only the remaining filament is engaged by the drawing drum proper and further drawn out and transported by the same.

In accordance with the prior art, the dropshaped ends of the newly formed filament enters a gap between the drawing drum proper, and a preliminary drawing drum 3,492,103 Patented Jan. 27, 1970 which rotates opposite to the direction of rotation of the drawing drum, and has a substantially smaller diameter.

The German Patent 822,004 and the Belgian Patent 639,800 disclose apparatus of this type. However, the known apparatus is not entirely reliable because the dropshaped ends are sometimes not entirely removed by the preliminary drawing drum, but are caught by the drawing drum proper and thus enter the final product and unbalance and damage the drawing drum. The filaments cannot be spaced from each other less than 7 millimeters since the dropshaped ends have a certain size, and a slight oscillatory movement of the filament with the dropshaped end brings the same into contact with adjacent filaments which are damaged.

In order to increase the output of the drawing drum, a plurality of rows of staggered orifices is provided, so that the drawn off filaments can be spaced a smaller distance while the filaments of each row are spaced at least 7 millimeters.

Such an arrangement causes great difliculties at the beginning of the operation, or in the event that several filaments simultaneously break. Since the distances between the filaments of the several rows engaged by the drawing drum are small, breaking of a filament in a middle row makes it necessary that the newly formed filaments with its leading downwardly moving dropshaped end, moves downward between adjacent filaments without touching and breaking the same.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is one object of the invention to overcome the disadvantages of known arrangements for drawing out newly formed glass filaments, and to provide a method and apparatus for drawing out closely spaced filaments.

The term glass as used in the present application includes also other like mineral materials.

Another object of the invention is to sever the dropshaped ends of newly formed mineral filaments in a region spaced from the drawing drum so that the dropshaped ends cannot engage the drawing drum, damage other filaments, or enter the final product.

Another object of the invention is to provide a preliminary drawing drum which draws out the lower ends of the newly formed filaments while the same move along a path spaced from the drawing drum proper until the dropshaped ends are severed, and the filament is further drawn out by the drawing drum.

In accordance with the invention, the dropshaped ends of downward moving newly formed filaments are drawn out by a preliminary drawing drum in a position spaced from the vertical plane in which the newly formed filaments move downward. The partly drawn out filaments without the dropshaped ends, are then moved exactly at right angles to the axis of the drawing drum and located in the proper position between other adjacent filaments which are already engaged and drawn by the drawing drum. The dropshaped ends do not enter a gap between the preliminary drawing drum and the drawing drum, as is the case in the prior art, but remain always on the same side of the two drums, passing over a surface portion of the lower preliminary drawing drum which faces away from the higher drawing drum. This arrangement prevents the dropshaped ends from ever entering the region in which rows of filaments are drawn out by the higher drawing drum. Since the filaments are located on the same side of the two drums, the same rotate in the same direction of rotation.

One method of the invention comprises the steps of downward discharging glass or mineral filaments from a row of orifices in a vertical plane spaced a selected first distance in a horizontal plane from the surface of a first drawing drum so that the filaments in the vertical planeare not caught by the surface of the first drawing drum, and placing the lower dropshaped ends of the filaments in contact with the surface of a second lower preliminary drawing drum. The preliminary drawing drum engages the filaments, positions the same between filaments extending from the orifices to the first drawing drum, and draws out the filaments While the same move along a path extending from the orifices to the surface of the second preliminary drawing drum. This path is spaced in the above-mentioned horizontal plane from the surface of the first drawing drum, a distance which is smaller than the first mentioned distance. Thereupon, the filaments are displaced for example by air currents produced by the first drawing drum, .or by other means, from said path into engagement with the first drawing drum after the dropshaped ends are severed, and the first drawing drum further draws out the filaments.

The vertical plane and the path of the filaments are located on the same side of the two drums which rotate in the same direction. The surface of the second preliminary drawing drum is continuously cleaned by a scraper.

An embodiment of the apparatus of the invention comprises a spinneret having orifices for forming glass filaments moving downwards in a vertical plane; a first rotary drum located below the spinneret and having a first surface spaced from the vertical plane of the filaments a first distance selected so that the filaments are not caught by the first surface; a second rotary drum located below the first rotary drum and having a second surface positioned so that a tangential line or plane extending from the spinneret to the second surface is spaced from the first surface a second distance smaller than the first distance; feeding means, preferably in the form of a slanted guide member, for moving the lower dropshaped ends of the filaments from the vertical plane to a preliminary first drawing position located in the tangential line so that the filaments are engaged, positioned between the filaments extending from the spinneret to the first rotary drum, and drawn out by the second drum; and means for displacing the filaments said second distance from the preliminary first drawing position to a second drawing position engaged by the surface of the first drum after the lower dropshaped ends are severed. The filaments are now further drawn out by the first drum to the desired thickness and since the dropshaped ends are downward thrown off by the second lower drum, they cannot reach the higher first drum from which the filaments are delivered to further apparatus for producing a final product.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 illustrates an apparatus according to the German Patent 822,004 and US. Patent 2,838,879. Glass drops are formed at the orifices of conical nozzles 1 of a spinneret 2 which is filled with liquid glass. The glass drops separate from nozzles 1 and move downward due to the force of gravity forming filaments 4 whose leading lower ends 3 are dropshaped and include an upwardly tapered portion 13 which is thicker than the filament 4. A drawing drum 5 rotates in the direction of the arrow B and a smaller drum 8 is disposed below drawing drum 5 and rotates in the opposite direction C.

When the dropshaped ends 3 of the filaments moving downward in the direction A catch the rapidly rotating drawing drum 5, they rebound from its cylindrical surface and are guided by a guide plate 6 into a gap 7 between drawing drum 5 and drum 8.

A curved guide plate 10 is closely spaced from the preliminary drawing drum 8 and has an end portion located in the region of gap 7 and forming with the end portion of a curved cover plate 12, a separating edge 11 located in gap 7 for guiding the dropshaped ends 3 and the respective filaments 4 away from the surface of drawing drum 5 and into engagement with the surface of drum 8. Cover plate 12 forms with the surface of drawing drum 5, an air channel through which air streams produced by the rotating drawing drum 5 are guided away from gap 7.

Drum 8 rotates at a high speed in the direction C so that the dropshaped end portions 3, 13, are urged to move away from the filament portions on the surface of drawing drum 5 so that the filaments are drawn out until they are sufiiciently thin to break in the region 14 so that the dropshaped ends are thrown off by drum 8 in direction of the arrow D, while the filaments are transported and drawn out by drawing drum 5 until they have the desired thickness.

In order to assure the severing of the newly formed filament from the dropshaped end portion transported by drum 8, the separating edge 11 is constructed to engage the filament portion between the surfaces of drums 5 and 8 so that a kink is formed in the filament at which the same breaks.

In this construction, according to the prior art, dropshaped ends, or parts of the same, may enter the gap between cover plate 12 and the surface of drawing drum 5 and are transported with the filaments drawn out by drum 5 so that they get into the final product, or even cut or damage filaments on the surface of drawing drum 5. When filaments are cut in this manner, it is necessary to form a new filament whose dropshaped end may cause the same disturbance so that a great number of filaments break.

It has also been found that the drops 3 and the pointed portions 13 of the dropshaped ends, together with fiber particles produced by drum 8, clog the gap 15 between cover plate 12 and the surface of drum 5. In this condition of the apparatus, drawing operations become impossible and it is therefore necessary to clean the gap 15 very frequently, particularly since the deposits in gap 15 may scratch the surface of drawing drum 5, forming circumferential furrows in the same in which the fine filaments are caught whereby the taking off of the filaments from drawing drum 5 is obstructed.

These disadvantages are overcome by the construction of the present invention, a first embodiment of which is illustrated in FIG. 2. A spinneret 2 with three rows I, II, III of nozzles 1 discharges three rows of downwardly moving filaments 4 located in vertical planes and having dropshaped lower ends 3 including a tapered portion 13. A first drawing drum 5 is mounted for rotation on a shaft .17, and has a cylindrical rotary surface which is spaced at finst distance from the vertical planes in which filaments 4 move downwards. This distance is selected so that the dropshaped ends 3, and the filaments 4 can neither touch, nor be caught by drum 5, even if the same produces air currents causing suction.

A second preliminary drawing drum 8 is located below the first drawing drum 5, and is driven to rotate in the same direction as drawing drum 5, as indicated by the arrows B and B'.

A downwardly inclined guide member 16 has a higher portion located in the vertical planes of filaments 4, and a lower portion located in the proximity of the surface of the preliminary drawing-drum 8. The dropshaped end portions 3 of filaments 4 slide downward on the slanted surface of guidemembe'r 16, until they assume a position in contact with the surface ''of the preliminary drawing drum 8.-Filaments 4 in this position extend along a line or plane connecting the respective nozzle 1 with the surface of preliminary drawing drum 8. The line or plane of filaments 4 is still spaced in horizontal direction from the surface of drawing drum 5, but the distance is much smaller than the distance between the filaments 4 and the drawing drum 5, which is preferably between 10 millimeters and 100 millimeters.

Filaments 4 are drawn out by the rotating preliminary drawing drum 8 until they are thin enough to be displaced by the suction of the air currents produced by drawing drum to a position engaging the surface of the same and forming two portions 4" and 4". When drawing drum 5 transports the filament 4" while drawing out the same, the filament portion 4" breaks due to the continued action of the preliminary drawing drum 8, which throws the severed dropshaped end portion and the respective short filament portion 4" downward along the lower portion of guide member 16 and in a direction in which it is absolutely impossible that the dropshaped end portion 3 of a filament can come in contact with the higher drawing drum 5.

The distance between the vertical planes of the dropping filaments 4 and the surface of drawing drum 5 must be great enough so that the suction effect of the rotating drum cannot displace filaments 4 to such a degree that they could touch drawing drum 5, which is possible for filaments 4 which are spaced a smaller distance from the surface of drawing drum 5.

The distance between filament 4 and drum 5 depends on the construction of the spinneret or bushing 1, 2, on the surface texture and rotary speed of the drawing drum 5, and on the thickness of the newly formed filaments.

When filaments 4' are moved by the suction of the air currents produced by drum 5 to the position engaging the same, the distance between drum 5 and filaments 4 drawn out by drum 8 must be comparatively small, and this distance can be made greater when mechanical means are used for displacing the filaments 4' into engagement with drum 5. When drum 5 is arranged in a position farther spaced from the plane of the filaments 4', the distance of the drum from the vertical planes of the filaments 4 is also increased.

The displacement of filaments 4' by the suction produced by the rotating drum 5, results in a very simple and economical construction, which also reduces the surface. However, since the suction depends on many factors, for example surface texture of drum 5, rotary speed, distance from drum 8, desired filament diameter, and others, and consequently may be impractical under certain operational conditions, filaments 4' can be displaced into engagement with the surface of drawing drum 5 by oscillating the preliminary drawing drum 8 in direction of the arrows E, F between the positions 8 and 8'. The shaft of drum 8 is mounted on an oscillatory lever for this purpose. It will be seen that in the position 8', the lower ends of the filaments will extend from the spinneret orifices .1 to the displaced surface of drum 8 along a path which is tangential to the surface of drum 5, so that the same engages the filaments and draws them out while the continued rotation of drum 8 causes severing of the dropshaped lower end portions of the filaments.

When a plurality of rows of discharge nozzles 1 is provided, for example three rows I, II, III, the vertical plane in which the filaments of the first row I move downward, must be spaced the required minimum distance from the .6 surface of drum 5. The suction force of the air stream produced by the rotating drum 5, which depends on the surface texture and the rotary speed of the same, must be considered in a selection of this distance, since the-downwardly moving dropshaped end portions should not enter the air stream produced by drum 5, since otherwise turbulence would be created, and a vertical dropping of filaments 4 would not be possible. It is evident that a filament 4 which has a very small diameter even before drawn out by drawing drum 8, will be more susceptible to the air curents produced by drum 5 than a thicker filament.

When the distance between the vertical planes of filaments 4 and surface of drum 5, and also the distance between the path of the filaments 4 and the surface of drum 5 are properly selected, the filaments 4' will engage the surface of drum 5 only after they have been drawn out to a desired diameter. More particularly, the new filaments will enter the region of the filaments which are already drawn by drum 5, only after they have been subjected to preliminary drawing out by drum 8, so that the dropshaped end portions are severed from the remainin filaments which are drawn out by drum 5.

Since the path of filaments 4 extends to a portion of surface 8 which faces away from drum 5, and since both drums 5 and 8 are located on the same side of the newly formed filaments, the filaments 4 can drop downward to a greater length than in the constuction of the prior art described with reference to FIG. 1 so that the filaments are already drawn out to a substantial extent and more accurately placed by drum 8, before they are transferred to the drawing drum 5.

In order to permit the newly formed filaments to drop a sufficiently great vertical distance before engaged by drum 8, the same is disposed a distance x from the higher drawing drum 5. It is possible to mount the preliminary drawing drum 8 in a pit below the supporting structure for the drawing drum 5 so that a very great length of the newly formed dropping filaments is obtained.

A curved cover plate 19 surounds a part of the surface of drawing drum 5, and ends in a portion 19a which deflects filaments which were not properly engaged by drawing drum 5. Such occurrence is extremely rare, but the provision of the portion 19a is a safety measure which prevents under all circumstances the engagement of the surface of drum 5 by a dropshaped end portion 3 so that a dropshaped end portion can never enter the final product, but do no greater damage than break the previously drawn filament 4', or the filament portion 4".

Filaments which are drawn by drum 5 extend along a tangential line, indicated at 4", so that they are in contact with a lubricating device 20 which applies a finish to the drawn filaments. A stripper or scraper 21 continued in a guide plate 22, is provided, if desired, for transforming the filaments into fibers which are guided by guide plate 22 to apparatus for producing a glass fiber mat, or a twisted strand.

A scraper 23 engages the surface of the preliminary drawing drum 8 for removing filament ends. Material taken ofi drum 8 is guided toward a take-up roller 24. The position of scraper 23 depends on the position of drum 8, and if scraper 23 is provided, the deflecting portion 19a may be omitted.

As noted above, it is possible to reciprocate or oscillate drum 8 for transferring the partly drawn out filaments 4' to the drawing drum 5. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, the preliminary drawing drum 8 rotates about a stationary shaft and an additional guide structure 28, 29, is provided for displacing filaments 4 to the position 4", 4" and into engagement with the surface of the drawing drum 5.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3, newly formed filaments 4 move downwards in vertical planes until the lower dropshaped ends 3 are engaged by a guide member 25 and guided toward drums 5 and 8. When the dropshaped ends pass beyond the lower edge of guide member 25, they drop down below the drum 8 and into engagement with a second downwardly inclined guide member 25a, by which the respective dropshaped ends are guided further downward and toward drum 8 until the same engages the respective filaments. Preliminary drawing drum 8 draws out the filaments in a position corresponding to the position 4' in FIG. 2, not shown in FIG. 3. The surface of drum 8 is scraped oil? by a scraper 26 and guided by a curved guide plate 27 toward a take-up roll 24. Scraper 27 is movable in a direction of the arrows G, H, between an inoperative position and a scraping position for removing filament ends from preliminary drawing drum 8.

Filaments drawn out by drum 8, are diplaced into engagement with the surface of drum 5, by a rotary guide structure which includes two end members located at the axial ends of drum 8, spokes 28 radially projecting from the end members, and connecting rods 29 connecting the outer ends of spokes 28 and extending parallel to the axis of rotation of drum 8, outwardly of the same. The guide structure is rotated in the direction of the arrow K opposite to the direction of rotation of drums and 8, but at a low rotary speed so that connecting rods 29 engage filaments drawn out by drum 8 and move the same to a position engaging the surface of drawing drum 5 so that the filament portion 4" is in contact with the lubricating device 20, and the filament portion 4" is severed due to the continued rotation of drum 8. The severed dropshaped ends are downwardly thrown by drum 8. A rotary brush 30 cleans connecting rods 28.

Instead the end members and spokes 28 of the guide structure shown in FIG. 3, a pair of endless chains, supported on three or four rollers in the regions of the axial ends of drum 8, may be used for supporting the connecting rods 29.

A third embodiment of the'invention is illustrated in FIG. 4 and has the same basic construction as the other embodiments. However, two preliminary drawing drums 33 and 33a are provided which are mounted at the ends of a double-armed lever which is supported on a shaft 32 for oscillatory movement as indicated by the arrows L and M. Preliminary drawing drums 33, 33a are rotated in the direction of the arrows B in the same direction as drawing drum 5 which rotates in the direction of the arrow B. In the position shown in solid lines in FIG. 4, the newly formed filaments 4 have dropshaped ends 3 which are fed by a slanted guide member 31' to the lower preliminary drawing drum 33a which draws out the filament to a desired preliminary diameter. When lever 34 turns in the direction of the arrow M to a position in which preliminary drawing drums 33 and 33a are in the positions shown in chain lines, the filament connecting the surface of drum 33a with a spinneret, tangentially touches drawing drum 33 in the position shown in chain lines, so that the filament is drawn out in the position 4' by the preliminary drawing drum 33 until the lever 34 turns in the direction of the arrow L, and the respective filament, which now extends in the position 4a from the spinneret to the solid line position of drum 33, engages the surface of drum 5 and is drawn out by the same while in engagement with the lubricating device 20. The dropshaped ends 3 are severed When the filament is transferred from drum 33a to drum 33, and the portion 4a is severed between drums 33 and 5 when the latter drum starts drawing out the filament.

A scraper 35a is provided for removing filament ends from the surface of drum 33 in the position shown in chain lines, and a scraper 35 is provided for the same purpose and cooperates with drum 33 in the solid line position. The scraped off material is guided by guide plates 36a and 36 into the region of a pick-up roller 24, by which the material is wound up.

In a modified arrangement, lever 34 is not oscillated, but continuously turned, preferably in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of drum 5. However, the

preliminary drawing drums 33 and 33a rotate in the same direction as drawing drum 5.

As compared with the embodiments of FIGS. 2 and 3, the embodiment of FIG. 4 subjects the filaments for a longer period of time to the preliminary drawing out. Such extension of the preliminary drawing will not result in a different diameter of the new filament but assures that the new filament can be precisely positioned in its proper spinning zone on drawing drum 5, andthe following apparatus, laterally spaced from adjacent filaments which are continuously drawn out by drum 5 in a position resembling a Warp shed consisting of parallel warp threads.

Assuming the same axial length of the drawing drum as in the prior art, instead of 100, 400 to 600 filaments can be started, and it will be understood that due to the narrowness of each zone provided for a filament, each newly formed filament must be placed precisely in the respective spinning zone without obstructing or damaging the other filaments. A deviation of only a few millimeters would cause the tearing of the adjacent continuously produced filaments.

In order to assure the accurate and orderly placing of the newly formed filaments, which are produced in several rows I, II, III, it is necessary that the dropshaped ends which draw the filaments downward, freely pass downward spaced from the drawing drum in the spaces between adjacent filaments which are drawn out by drawing drum 5, are severed by the action of the preliminary drawing drum when the preliminarydrawing has resulted in a filament of the desired diameter. It is necessary to maintain the surface of the preliminary drawing drum absolutely free of deposits which would laterally deflect a newly engaged filament and cause breaking of the adjacent filaments.

In order to assure a reliable severing of the dropshaped end portions when the filament is transferred from the preliminary drawing drum to the drawing drum, it is advantageous to drive the drawing drum 5 at a slightly higher peripheral speed than the preliminary drawing drum 8, so that the new filament is drawn by the preliminary drawing drum to a desired diameter, and then immediately transported by the drawing drum at such a speed that it breaks between the drawing drum 5 and the drawing drum 8. The very small difference in thickness of the new filament as compared with the continuously drawn filaments on drum 5 at the moment of transfer, has no effect since the drawing drum 5 immediately draws the new filament to the standard diameter of the other filaments which are already being drawn by drawing drum 5 and delivered to other apparatus.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of arrangements for drawing out newly formed glass fibers differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a method and apparatus providing two drawing drums located on the same side of a vertical plane in which newly formed glass fibers move downwards, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims:

1. An apparatus for drawing out newly formed filaments consisting of a fiberizable mineral material comprising, a spinneret having orifices for forming glass filaments moving downward in a vertical plane; a first rotary drum located below said spinneret and having a first peripheral surface spaced from said vertical plane in a horizontal plane a first distance selected so that filaments in said vertical plane are not caught by said first drum; a second rotary drum located below said first rotary drum and having a second peripheral surface positioned so that a tangential line extending from said spinneret to said second surface is spaced from said first surface in said horizontal plane a second distance smaller than said first distance; feeding means for moving the lower dropshaped ends of said filaments from said vertical plane to a preliminary first drawing position located in said tangential line so that said filaments are engaged, and drawn out by said second drum; and means for displacing said filaments said second distance from said first drawing position to a second drawing position engaged by said first surface so that said first drum further draws out said filaments when said dropshaped ends are severed from the same by the action of said second rotary drum.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprising parallel shaft means for rotating said first and second drums in the same direction of rotation; and wherein said first and second drums are located on the same side of said vertical plane.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said feeding means include a downwardly inclined guide member having a higher guide portion located in said vertical plane and a lower guide portion located in the proximity of said second drum for guiding said dropshaped lower ends of said filaments toward said second surface and into engagement with the same.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for displacing include means for mounting said first and second rotary drums in a position in which a tangent on said first and second surfaces forms a small angle with said tangential line, said angle and said second distance being so small that air currents produced by said first rotary drum displace said filaments from said first drawing position to said second drawing position engaged by said first rotary surface.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for displacing said filaments includes a rotary guide structure coaxial with said second rotary drum and surrounding the same; and comprising means for rotating said first and second rotary drums in the same direction, and said rotary guide structure in the opposite direction at a lower speed than said drums so that said rotary guide structure moves said filaments from said first drawing position to said second drawing position and into engagement with said first surface of said first rotary drum.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said guide structure includes end members located at the axial ends of said second rotary drum, and connecting rods connecting said end members and extending parallel to the axis of said second drum radially spaced from said second surface and crossing filaments which are in said first drawing position for moving the same toward said first drum and into said second drawing position.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for displacing said filaments include means for reciprocating said second drum in a substantially horizontal direction while engaging and drawing out said filaments so that the same are moved by said second drum from said first drawing position to said second drawing position and engaged by said first drum.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for displacing said filaments include double-armed lever means, turnable about a horizontal axis having said second drum mounted at one end thereof and a third rotary drum mounted on the other end of said lever means; means for rotating said three drums in the same direction; wherein said feeding means include a downward slanted guide member having a higher portion located in said vertical plane and a lower portion in the proximity of said third drum for guiding the lower ends of filaments located in said vertical plane into engagement with said third drum; and comprising shaft means for moving said lever means with said second and third drums so that said third drum first takes said filaments from said guide means and draws the same out whereupon due to the movement of said lever means, said second drum engages said filament and further draws the same out, and then displaces said filaments to said second drawing position engaged and further drawn out by said first drum.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 including scraper means for cleaning said second surface of said second drum and including means for guiding filament ends away from said second surface.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein said shaft means is continuously rotatable for rotating said lever means with said second and third drums opposite to the direction of rotation of said three drums.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein said shaft means is oscillatable angularly for oscillating said lever means.

12. A method for drawing out newly formed filaments consisting of glass comprising the steps of downward discharging molten glass filaments having dropshaped ends at a discharge point and in a vertical plane spaced a selected first distance in horizontal direction from a first rotary surface located below said discharge point so that the filaments moving downward in said vertical plane are spaced from said first rotary surface; moving the lower dropshaped ends of the filaments into contact with a second rotary surface located below said first rotary surface; rotating said second rotary surface so that the filaments are engaged, and downwardly drawn out by said second rotary surface to a predetermined thickness while moving along a path which extends from said discharge point to said second rotary surface and is spaced in said horizontal plane from said first rotary surface a second distance smaller than said first distance; displacing said filaments said second distance from said path and into engagement with said first rotary surface; and rotating said first rotary surface so that said first rotary surface further draws out said filaments, and said dropshaped ends are severed from said filaments and thrown away by said second rotary surface.

13. The method claimed in claim 12 comprising the steps of placing said first and second rotary surfaces on the same side of said path; and rotating said first and second rotary surfaces in the same direction.

14. The method claimed in claim 12 wherein the step of displacing includes producing airstreams by said first rotary surface for moving said filaments into engagement with said first rotary surface.

15. The method claimed in claim 12 wherein the step of displacing includes moving said second rotary surface with said filaments said second distance toward said first rotary surface.

16. The method claimed in claim 12 wherein said first rotary surface is rotated at a higher speed than said second rotary surface.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,838,879 6/1958 Schuller 65-10 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,373,611 1/1964 France.

S. LEON BASHORE, Primary Examiner ROBERT L. LINDSAY, SR., Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 6511, 10 

